Base-ball bat



(No Model.)

BROWN. BASE BALL BAT.

No. 310,248. Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

www JW An llNrTn STATES PATENT Gruen.

WILLIAM T. BROWN, OF HASTINGS, MICHIGAN.

BASE-BALL BAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nol 310,248, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed June 2, 1854. (Xo model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hast-` ings, in the county of Barry and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball Bats, of which the following is a specicatiou.

My invention is an improvement in baseball bats; and it consists in producing a bat which, while combining the requisite qualities of strength, durability, and economy of manufacture, will be much lighter than the bats now in common use, and at the same time possess great elasticity, as fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an exterior View ofa bat of ordinary form embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central seetion, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged crosssection thereof, taken on the line l 2 of Fig. I.

A is the bat, which consists, essentially, of an outer portion, B, and a central core, C, of light elastic material having great tensile strength-such, for instance, as rattan. The central portion or core, C, is built up of strips b of rattan or other light wood having great tensile strength and elasticity. Ihese strips b are square or angular in cross-section, so that they may be closely fitted and glued together to form a compact body, withoutinterstices, of practically one continuous piece of the same length as the outer portion, B. rlhis outer portion, B, is made of hard or soft wood, such as ordinarily used for bats, and is built up of longitudinal sections c, each of whiehis segmental in cross-section, and all so shaped that when the sections are iitted together and applied to the core G, as shown in Fig. 3, they constitute, with the latter, a bat having the usual outward shape, but combined of two parts differing from each other, and each end and the outer portion may conform thereto.

In making the articlethe core() is first built up of the strips b, securely cemented together throughout their entire length, as above described, and then the outer sections, a, are glued thereto, so that the parts thus firmly secured together constitute a structure practically continuous.

Abat thus constructed is much lighter .than one ofthe same size as ordinarily made,andpos sesses the desirable qualities of elasticity and strength, as the rattan is very tough, and will yield to a certain extent to blows without danger of breaking, jarring the hands of the player being th'us prevented.

To give additional strength to the bat and' prevent any possibility of separation of the joints, or the outer sections, c, from working loose from the eifects of moisture or of the blows or shocks received by the bat while in use, I provide it at or near both ends with an exterior wrapping, f g, of twine, tape, or any other suitable material. Where the wrapping is applied near the butt-end of the bat, the outer portion of the bat is cut away or re cessed, so that when wound the surface of the wrapping will be even with that of the bat, and the wrappingis thus securely coniined between the edges of the recessed portion, and a level battingsurface presented. At the opposite end the bat may be recessed and wrapped in like manner; but, as shown, the wrapping is applied on the outer 'surface of the bat without iirst recessing the latter, and it is secured in any suitable manner. After applying the wrapping the latter' is Varnishcd or otherwise protected against moisture.

W'ithout limiting myselfl to the exact construction of parts shown, I clai1n- I. A bat having a core of longitudinal strips of rattan iitted and cemented closely together, and an outer portion composed of strips of hard wood, iitted and cemented to and inclosing the core part, substantially as described.

2. A bat having a core of longitudinal strips of rattan fitted and cemented together, and an outer portion composed of wood strips tted and cemented to and inclosing the core part, and an exterior wrapping at one or more points, substantially as described.

IOO

3. The combination, in :L hat, of the inner oore of longitudinal strips of rattan, the outer portion consisting of wood strips cemented to oooh other and to the core, and recessed, as

5 set forth, and a wrapping of twine Within said recessed portion, substantially its described.

In testimony whereof I have si gned my nonne VILLIAM T. BROVN.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. ANDERSON, JOHN XV. DoXnY, Jr. 

